New customers frequently ask about ‘Plate Charges’ and why they are needed. Well, here is a picture of four plates that have been mounted on the printing rolls:
These plates are made from the digital art file that represents your label. The art is separated into each of the colors used on the job, and a plate is made for each color. Then, each plate is inserted into the press and is used to physically transfer the ink onto the paper – this is where the printing really happens:
When all of the colors are combined, and the label is diecut, you get a beautiful finished product:
Why Plates? Because despite the rapid growth in Digital Printing, for MANY applications where the label design doesn’t change often, or the runs are large, traditional printing with plates is still the most cost effective, best quality solution for your printing needs.